The Beekeeper's Apprentice, or On the Segregation of the Queen: Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, Book 1

In 1915, Sherlock Holmes is retired and quietly engaged in the study of honeybees when a young woman literally stumbles into him on the Sussex Downs. Fifteen years old, gawky, egotistical, and recently orphaned, the young Mary Russell displays an intellect to impress even Sherlock Holmes - and match him wit for wit. Under his reluctant tutelage, this very modern 20th-century woman proves a deft protégée and a fitting partner for the Victorian detective.

Touchstone

His existence shattered by the Great War, Bennett Grey is investigated by an American agent who thinks he may be useful for protecting national security. U.S. Bureau of Investigation agent Harris Stuyvesant's first inclination is to let his fists do the talking. But he's well out of his jurisdiction, having traveled across the Atlantic to dig up clues on an Englishman he believes responsible for terrorist acts in the States.

Masked Ball at Broxley Manor: A Royal Spyness Novella

At the end of her first unsuccessful season out in society, Lady Georgiana has all but given up on attracting a suitable man - until she receives an invitation to a masked Halloween ball at Broxley Manor. Georgie is uncertain why she was invited, until she learns that the royal family intends to marry her off to a foreign prince, one reputed to be mad.

A Darker Place

Professor Anne Waverly teaches religious studies at a respected university. Middle-aged and slightly lame, she spends her days in lecture halls and offices. But occasionally, she works for the FBI. As Ana Wakefield, an eager seeker of higher truths, she infiltrates cults. Now, leaving the security of academia, she is on her way to Arizona in a battered VW bus.

A Study in Scarlet Women: The Lady Sherlock Series, Book 1

With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper-class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London. When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name.

The Daughter of Sherlock Holmes: A Novel

England, 1914. Joanna Blalock's keen mind and incredible insight lead her to become a highly skilled nurse, one of the few professions that allow her to use her finely tuned brain. But when she and her 10-year-old son witness a man fall to his death, apparently by suicide, they are visited by the elderly Dr. John Watson and his charming, handsome son, Dr. John Watson Jr. Impressed by her forensic skills, they invite her to become the third member of their investigative team.

Maisie Dobbs

Maisie Dobbs isn't just any young housemaid. Through her own natural intelligence - and the patronage of her benevolent employers - she works her way into college at Cambridge. After the War I and her service as a nurse, Maisie hangs out her shingle back at home: M. DOBBS, TRADE AND PERSONAL INVESTIGATIONS. But her very first assignment soon reveals a much deeper, darker web of secrets, which will force Maisie to revisit the horrors of the Great War and the love she left behind.

Still Life: Chief Inspector Gamache, Book 1

Chief Inspector Armand Gamache of the Surêté du Québec and his team of investigators are called in to the scene of a suspicious death in a rural village south of Montreal. Jane Neal, a local fixture in the tiny hamlet of Three Pines, just north of the U.S. border, has been found dead in the woods. The locals are certain it’s a tragic hunting accident and nothing more, but Gamache smells something foul in these remote woods, and is soon certain that Jane Neal died at the hands of someone much more sinister than a careless bowhunter.

A Curious Beginning

As the city prepares to celebrate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee, Veronica Speedwell is marking a milestone of her own. After burying her spinster aunt, the orphaned Veronica is free to resume her world travels in pursuit of scientific inquiry - and the occasional romantic dalliance. As familiar with hunting butterflies as she is fending off admirers, Veronica wields her butterfly net and a hatpin with equal aplomb, and with her last connection to England gone, she intends to embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

In Farleigh Field: A Novel

World War II comes to Farleigh Place, the ancestral home of Lord Westerham and his five daughters, when a soldier with a failed parachute falls to his death on the estate. After his uniform and possessions raise suspicions, MI5 operative and family friend Ben Cresswell is covertly tasked with determining if the man is a German spy. The assignment also offers Ben the chance to be near Lord Westerham's middle daughter, Pamela, whom he furtively loves. But Pamela has her own secret.

Folly

Tragedy and mental illness have been dark companions of Rae Newborn for more than 50 years. Her life seems to start rebuilding itself, though, when she moves to a deserted island to restore the house her mysterious great-uncle built in the 1920s. But Rae senses powerful forces stirring on the island. Is the skin-crawling feeling she has of someone watching her only in her mind, or has something disturbingly real taken notice of Rae?

A Quiet Life in the Country: A Lady Hardcastle Mystery, Book 1

Lady Emily Hardcastle is an eccentric widow with a secret past. Florence Armstrong, her maid and confidante, is an expert in martial arts. The year is 1908 and they've just moved from London to the country, hoping for a quiet life. But it is not long before Lady Hardcastle is forced out of her self-imposed retirement. There's a dead body in the woods, and the police are on the wrong scent. Lady Hardcastle makes some enquiries of her own, and it seems she knows a surprising amount about crime investigation...

Crocodile on the Sandbank: The Amelia Peabody Series, Book 1

Amelia Peabody embarks on her first Egyptian adventure armed with unshakable self-confidence, a journal for her thoughts, and, of course, a sturdy umbrella. On her way, she rescues Evelyn Barton-Forbes, who has been "ruined" and abandoned on the streets of Rome by her lover. With a typical disregard for convention, Amelia promptly hires her fellow countrywoman as a companion and takes her to Cairo, where strange visitations and a botched kidnapping convince Amelia that there is a plot afoot to harm Evelyn.

Expert Sherlockians Laurie King and Leslie Klinger put forth the question: What happens when great writers/creators who are not known as Sherlock Holmes devotees admit to being inspired by Conan Doyle stories? While some are highly regarded mystery writers, others are best known for their work in the fields of fantasy or science fiction. All of these talented authors, however, share a great admiration for Arthur Conan Doyle and his greatest creations, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson.

Lockdown: A Novel of Suspense

Using a premise pulled from the headlines - the very real vulnerability of students and teachers - the best-selling author of the Mary Russell mysteries delivers a contemporary novel of psychological suspense. The various presenters at a local school career day prepare for a day in class, not knowing that someone with a thirst for revenge is in their midst.

What Angels Fear: Sebastian St. Cyr, Book 1

It's 1811, and the threat of revolution haunts the upper classes of King George III's England. Then a beautiful young woman is found savagely murdered on the altar steps of an ancient church near Westminster Abbey. A dueling pistol found at the scene and the damning testimony of a witness both point to one man - Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, a brilliant young nobleman shattered by his experience in the Napoleonic Wars.

A Useful Woman: A Rosalind Thorne Mystery, Book 1

The daughter of a baronet and minor heiress, Rosalind Thorne was nearly ruined after her father abandoned the family. To survive in the only world she knew, she began to manage the affairs of some of London society's most influential women, who rely on her wit and discretion. So when artistocratic wastrel Jasper Aimesworth is found dead in London's most exclusive ballroom, Almack's, Rosalind must use her skills and connections to uncover the killer.

Too Happy says:"I was looking for an entertaining read. I found that, and more."

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best-selling author Laurie R. King has won or been nominated for every major award in mystery writing. King's beloved sleuth Mary Russell here attempts to reverse her legendary husband, Sherlock Holmes', greatest failure.

What the Critics Say

"A one-woman case for the defense of unauthorized literary sequels...intelligent, witty, complex and atmospheric." (Washington Post Book World)"Along the way, we are treated to a great deal about ancient sites in England; a major supporting role from Holmes' brother, Mycroft; information on an occult set of beliefs possibly related to Aleister Crowley; a terrifying set piece on the horrors of early air travel; and discourse on the queasy pleasures of surrealist art - all in Mary Russell's wry, brilliant, and occasionally utterly deluded voice." (Booklist)

I have read all of the short stories that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote about Sherlock Holmes in the Strand, I have seen every movie that I could find about Holmes, I have read other author's that have written about Holmes, and I even countinue to watch the British T.V. series about Sherlock Holmes...needless to say I am a Holmes Buff, and I can pick out a phony in a second (in my eyes a phony is someone that writes about Holmes but has not done their home work about him and his manorizisms)...
Laurie King should be considered the reincarnated Sir Arthur Conan Doyle!!!
Laurie hits the essence of Sherlock Holmes out of the park, and it feels as though I am listening to Doyle tell new stories about Holmes and his new apprentice.
These audiobooks are great whether you are a Holmes reader or not and I highly recommend this story and any others written by Laurie King to anyone that loves mystery, suspense, and a little brain work also!

I have read or listened to all the Mary Russell books and have enjoyed them all. I knew from other reviewers that this book was 'to be continued' so that didn't worry me. I fully enjoyed the story and the details. I find the pace very calming and didn't feel that there was too much padding. I think the narrator did a great job with the voices and accents of the characters. I find her voice quite melodic and a pleasure to listen to. Enjoy the details for what they reveal about life at the time. If you want a face paced action adventure story this is not for you but if you fancy a well reasoned mystery with a lot of insight into life in Britain in the 1920s then give it a go. I will certainly listen to part 2 when it becomes available.

... you will probably like this one. I've enjoyed all these Russell/Holmes books in varying degrees. The first one,"The Beekeeper's Apprentice" is a classic not to be missed. Other books in the series are more a matter of taste. In this one, the introduction of Holmes's adult son (by Irene Adler) is a welcome addition. The cliff-hanging ending leaves Mary Russell in charge of her stepgranddaughter, Mycroft Holmes (possibly) under arrest, and Sherlock gone off to who-knows-where. Stay tuned!

I found the "cult religion" plot interesting but scattershot; something (I'm not sure what--perhaps the presence of a more tangible villain, or just a tighter concept) was lacking. The ending chase (Mary rides an aeroplane!) to stop a human sacrifice goes on a little too long, but has some unexpected turns that keep you listening. As others have pointed out, this is clearly "part one of two," but since Part Two ("The God of the Hive") is readily available, that shouldn't deter anyone.

I've had mixed reactions to Jenny Sterlin's narrations of other material, but having listened to most of the series, I find her renditions pitch-perfect for these books. She has become the voices of Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes to me.

I love Laurie R. King, and particularly this series, but for the first time I wasn't able to get into one of her books. It was interesting, and any time spent with Russell and Holmes can't possibly be a waste, but this time I thought the plot was a bit overly melodramatic. At least the reading was. Jenny Sterlin (who is normally fantastic) read sooooo slowly, with so many pauses, that I felt myself getting frustrated.
She conveyed none of the action. What should have gone off like a rifle shot, instead felt like a slowly filling balloon. I have to wonder if I wouldn't have enjoyed it more if I had read it myself. (FYI: I did just finish listening to O'Jerusalem, which was fantastic -- so perhaps it's just the comparison that affects my opinion.) Love to know what you think.

but I hope the next one in the series picks up the pace a bit. While I love to enter a completely furnished and populated 'world', these last few Mary books are tedious. The mystery parts are overshadowed by the narrative and that is not acceptable!

This novel is a bit odd. For one thing, it seems to be only half a story [and indeed, Mrs. King is writing what seems to be the sequel at present]. Secondly, it is really a Mary Russell novel with Sherlock Holmes a secondary character, and lastly, once again, and, I think, once too often, Mrs. King delves into the world of theological irrationality. I personally find the interactions between Holmes and Russell to be the most interesting aspect of their books, and it's largely missing here. Also, I found myself disappointed by the use of "chase" tactics to add suspense to the story [don't want to give too much away] instead of tighter plotting.

Jenny Sterlin, as usual, does an excellent job of narration; indeed, her effort is what made me give this 4 instead of 3 stars.

Yet another excellent Mary Russell novel. The pace, tension and suspense of this installment in the series comes close to equaling the edge of your seat reading contained in her stand alone novel "Folly".
Some have complained about the post script, but if you follow the author, this is not a surprise and was planned for.

I am a L.R.King fan and before joining Audible had read all of her books save this one. Since I have read all those books silently it was a real novelty to be able to hear the voices of the by-now very familiar characters and remarkable how well they matched the ones I have heard in my head.

I had no problem with the scarcity of Holmes; to me this whole series has really been about Mary Russell all along, Holmes being more of a prop. And since his was about the only voice I didn't care for every much I minded it even less. Well, his and Estelle's and the American pilot's....but none were irritatingly bad; in the plethora of voices the reader did that's a pretty good success rate.

The reader was excellent; I am hoping when the second part of this book comes out she reads it as well; am looking forward to it.

King weaves into this fast-paced and spellbinding plot the history and historical figures of the day, along with descriptions of everyday items like Bakelite, medical procedures, and esoteric religious beliefs true to the age. What a mind! I haven't enjoyed all books in this series equally; this one is among my favorites for the plot, the characters and the narration. I especially enjoyed the new character, Robert Goodman, and his poignant back story.

What other book might you compare The Language of Bees to and why?

King's other novel, "A Monstrous Regiment of Women" also deals with the power of a charismatic religious figure.

What about Jenny Sterlin’s performance did you like?

Excellent characterizations, yet she gets out of the way and lets the plot move. Nothing show-offish, which I appreciate.

There was a long time in setting up the plot, but once the game was set afoot, it was worth the time spent in the set-up. If you like British Mysteries you will want to listen to this. If Sherlock is akin to Superman then his wife is surely Supergirl.